Major Risk Factor Research Articles

Lipids: A Major Culprit in Diabetic Nephropathy.

The pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy (DN) is too complex and involves a variety of pathways and mediators. Hyperglycaemia and dyslipidemia are identified as major risk factors for diabetic nephropathy. Various studies revealed the fact that dyslipidemia is a major contributor to the process of diabetic nephropathy. Dyslipidemia refers to abnormal lipid levels. Lipids like LDL, free fatty acids, abnormal lipoproteins, ceramides, etc., are unsafe for kidneys. They target proximal tubular epithelial cells, podocytes, and tubulointerstitial tissues through biochemical changes, especially by enhancing the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation, endorsing tissue inflammation and mitochondrial damage, which give rise to nephropathy. Major lipid targets identified are SREBP1, LXR, FXR PPAR, CD-36, PKc, AGE/RAGE pathway, and ferroptosis. The drug acting on these targets has shown improvement in DN patients. Various preclinical and clinical studies support the fact that hyperlipidemic agents are promising targets for DN. Therefore, in conjunction with other standard therapies, drugs acting on dyslipidemia can be added as a part of the regimen in order to prevent the incidence of ESRD and CVD.

Phytochemicals as Potential Lead Molecules against Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent form of liver cancer, accounting for 85-90% of liver cancer cases and is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The major risk factors for HCC include hepatitis C and B viral infections, along with chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis, fibrosis, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis associated with metabolic syndrome. Despite the advancements in modern medicine, there is a continuous rise in the annual global incidence rate of HCC, and it is estimated to reach >1 million cases by 2025. Emerging research in phytomedicine and chemotherapy has established the anti-cancer potential of phytochemicals, owing to their diverse biological activities. In this review, we report the major phytochemicals that have been explored in combating hepatocellular carcinoma and possess great potential to be used as an alternative or in conjunction with the existing HCC treatment modalities. An overview of the pre-clinical observations, mechanism of action and molecular targets of some of these phytochemicals is also incorporated.

Synthesis, Molecular Modeling and Biological Evaluation of Novel Trifluoromethyl Benzamides as Promising CETP Inhibitors.

Hyperlipidemia is considered a major risk factor for the progress of atherosclerosis. Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) facilitates the relocation of cholesterol esters from HDL to LDL. CETP inhibition produces higher HDL and lower LDL levels. Synthesis of nine benzylamino benzamides 8a-8f and 9a-9c was performed. In vitro biological study displayed potential CETP inhibitory activity, where compound 9c had the best activity with an IC50 of 1.03 μM. Induced-fit docking demonstrated that 8a-8f and 9a-9c accommodated the CETP active site and hydrophobic interaction predominated ligand/ CETP complex formation. Pharmacophore mapping showed that this scaffold endorsed CETP inhibitors features and consequently elaborated the high CETP binding affinity.

Finding the major risk factors for higher COVID-19 prevalence in various Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Finding the major risk factors for higher COVID-19 prevalence in various Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

PERFIL EPIDEMIOLÓGICO DA UROLITÍASE NO BRASIL NO PERÍODO COMPREENDIDO ENTRE 2012 A 2022

Introduction: Urolithiasis occurs when there are one or more stones inside organs or channels of the urinary tract, from the kidney membranes to the bladder. It is a pathology that has seen a progressive increase in incidence over the years. Objective: To highlight the epidemiological profile of urolithiasis in Brazil in the period between 2012 and 2022. Method: This is a systematic review of the literature, with information collected in the electronic databases Medical Literature Analysis and Retrievel System Online (MEDLINE), National Library of Medicine (PUBMED) and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), in studies published in the period between 2012 and 2022. Results: There was a greater occurrence of nephrolithiasis among males, in adults aged between x and x years and children x to x. And it has other risk factors such as low water intake, obesity, socioeconomic vulnerability, individuals with a diet rich in sodium/protein, living in regions with a high temperature climate, history of renal lithiasis in the family and previous gastric bypass. Conclusion: It was noticed that some factors associated with nephrolithiasis are genetically determined, such as sex and family history, however, the majority of risk factors are modifiable and can be prevented, therefore demonstrating the need for the development of public policies effective measures to prevent and reduce the occurrence of this pathology.

Pulmonary Vein Isolation or Pace and Ablate in Elderly Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation (ABLATE Versus PACE)—Rationale, Methods, and Design

Age is a major risk-factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) and associated hospitalisations. With increasing emphasis on rhythm control, pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is often suggested, even to elderly patients (≥ 75 years of age). Efficacy of PVI aiming at rhythm control is limited in persistent AF. Pacemaker implantation with atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation may represent a reasonable alternative, with the aim of controlling symptoms and improving quality of life in elderly patients. In this investigator-initiated, randomised, multicentre trial, we test the hypothesis that pacemaker implantation and AVN ablation provides superior symptom control over PVI in elderly patients with symptomatic persistent AF, without any increase in adverse event profile. In the ABLATE Versus PACE (NCT 04906668) prospective open-label superiority trial, 196 elderly patients with normal ejection fraction and symptomatic persistent AF despite guideline-indicated medical therapy will be randomised to either cryoballoon PVI (ABLATE) or dual-chamber pacemaker implantation with subsequent AVN ablation (PACE), and followed for a minimum of 12 months. The primary efficacy outcome is a composite end point of rehospitalisation for atrial arrhythmia or cardiac decompensation/heart failure, (outpatient) electrical cardioversion, or upgrade to cardiac resynchronisation therapy owing to worsening of left ventricular ejection fraction to ≤ 35%. Secondary end points include death from any cause, stroke, quality of life, and procedure-related complications. Sample size is designed to achieve 80% power for the primary end point (2-tailed alpha of 5%). ABLATE Versus PACE will determine whether pacemaker implantation and AVN ablation can improve symptom-control in elderly patients with persistent AF over PVI without increasing safety end points.

Emerging Role of Environmental Epitranscriptomics and RNA Modifications in Parkinson's Disease.

Environmental risk factors and gene-environment interactions play a critical role in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the relatively large contribution of environmental risk factors in the overwhelming majority of PD cases has been widely neglected in the field. A "PD prevention agenda" proposed in this journal laid out a set of research priorities focused on preventing PD through modification of environmental risk factors. This agenda includes a call for preclinical studies to employ new high-throughput methods for analyzing transcriptomics and epigenomics to provide a deeper understanding of the effects of exposures linked to PD. Here, we focus on epitranscriptomics as a novel area of research with the potential to add to our understanding of the interplay between genes and environmental exposures in PD. Both epigenetics and epitranscriptomics have been recognized as potential mediators of the complex relationship between genes, environment, and disease. Multiple studies have identified epigenetic alterations, such as DNA methylation, associated with PD and PD-related exposures in human studies and preclinical models. In addition, recent technological advancements have made it possible to study epitranscriptomic RNA modifications, such as RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A), and a handful of recent studies have begun to explore epitranscriptomics in PD-relevant exposure models. Continued exploration of epitranscriptomic mechanisms in environmentally relevant PD models offers the opportunity to identify biomarkers, pre-degenerative changes that precede symptom onset, and potential mitigation strategies for disease prevention and treatment.

Plasma viscosity, immunoglobulins and risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality: new data and meta-analyses

AimsAssociations of plasma viscosity and plasma Ig levels (a determinant of viscosity) with incident coronary heart disease (CHD) events; and with CHD, cardiovascular disease (CVD: CHD and stroke) and all-cause...

Cochlear Implant Complications in Children: Libyan Scenario and Experience

cochlear implant (CI) is considered a safe procedure; however, complications may happen, either due to the presence of the implant itself which act as a foreign body or the presence of congenital anomalies of the ear. One hundred eighty-two children implanted by cochlear implant team in Specialty surgical center (SSC)/Benghazi-Libya between May 2012 to December 2021 were recruited in this study. Demographic data: about name, age and sex, vaccination history, audiological and radiological assessment in form of CT scan temporal bone and MRI brain, surgical procedure and any difficulties encountered during the operation, are recorded. Complications encountered were grouped as major and minor ones. one hundred eighty-two patients were studied; age range was from seventeen months to twelve years. The major complications that need hospitalization or surgical interventions were seen 3.29% whereas minor complications that do not need hospitalization but they resolve spontaneously or treated in out-patient department; accounts for 13.7%. Accidental trauma was the major risk factor that seen in both major and minor complications. Cochlear implantation in children continues to be reliable and safe in experienced hands, with a low percentage of severe complications as long as long-term medical follow up is there. Major Complications of CI in children in SSC are related to trauma and hematoma formation as a major factor.

A review on comparative study of effectiveness of pregabalin and carbamazepine in painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy using mc gill's pain questionnaire

Diabetic neuropathy is a unique degenerative disorder of the peripheral nervous system that preferentially targets sensory axons and autonomic axons. The loss of sensory function that begins distally in the lower extremities is known as Diabetic neuropathy. It is characterized by burning pain, paresthesias and numbness in stocking glove pattern that progress proximally from the feet and hands. Diabetic neuropathy is a highly prevalent condition that substantially affects patients by increasing falls causing pain and reducing quality of life. The major risk factors for diabetic neuropathy is hyperglycemia. In addition to poor glycemic control, more-severe symptoms of diabetic neuropathy are associated with advanced age, hypertension, the duration of diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking and heavy alcohol intake. Diabetic neuropathy is a major cause for disability of feet and hands globally. Anti-convulsants like pregabalin and carbamazepine are the medications used in the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy.

Awareness of Hypertension, Hypercholesterolemia, and Diabetes Mellitus and Associated Characteristics in Russian Adults.

Russia has higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality compared to other European countries. The major CVD risk factors are age, male sex, and three conditions, namely hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus (DM). This study aimed to assess awareness of these three conditions among Russian adults (N = 3803) and the associated socio-demographic, lifestyle, and health characteristics. We used cross-sectional data from a randomly drawn population-based sample of Russians aged 35-69 years, who participated in the Know Your Heart (KYH) study conducted in Arkhangelsk and Novosibirsk between 2015-2018. Participants' self-reported awareness of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and DM was assessed against the measures at the KYH health check (blood pressure, cholesterol, HbA1c and/or use of medication for each condition). Prevalence estimates for the awareness were age- and sex-standardized to the Standard European Population. Socio-demographic, lifestyle, and health-related correlates of the awareness were investigated using logistic regression modelling. Among participants with hypertension (N = 2206), hypercholesterolemia (N = 3171), and DM (N = 329) recorded at a health check, 79%, 45%, and 61% self-reported these conditions, respectively. Higher awareness of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension was associated with older age, female sex, nonsmoking status, obesity, and history of CVD diagnoses. Low household income and history of CVD diagnoses were associated with being aware of DM. The awareness rates of hypertension were relatively high, whereas awareness rates of hypercholesterolemia and DM were relatively low. CVD prevention and early intervention could be improved in Russia through increasing the awareness of the risk factors.

Abstract 3774: Evaluation of FibraChek™ for non-invasive detection of hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract Introduction and Objectives: The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has almost tripled since the early 1980s in the United States where it is the fastest rising cause of cancer-related deaths. Advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis are ones of major risk factors for HCC. The recent evidence demonstrates that successfully treating the cause of early to moderate hepatic fibrosis may reverse most. For this reason, detecting hepatic fibrosis in an early stage is crucial. Liver biopsy is currently the gold standard for the assessment of hepatic fibrosis in clinical practice. Thus, there is an urgent clinical need for the development of non-invasive blood-based tests because of its ease of obtaining biological material. Previously, we developed FibraChek™, non-invasive blood-based tests. In this study, we tested the performance of FibraChek™ on detecting hepatic fibrosis and HCC in the US. Methods: The performance of FibraChek™ was evaluated in a single-institutional cohort of 14 prospectively collected subjects presenting for chronic liver disease (NAFLD/NASH) patients with hepatic fibrosis, 19 prospectively collected subjects diagnosed with HCC, and 12 prospectively collected controls from the US. The algorithm uses weighted value of the 5 biomarkers: AST, ALT, Platelet, Taurocholic Acid (TCA) & Tyrosine plus age to derive a risk score. The ability of the test to identify patients harboring hepatic fibrosis or HCC was assessed. Hepatic fibrosis status was confirmed by tissue biopsy or definitive surgery. Diagnostic performance was assessed using AUC. Results: FibraChek™ provided an AUC of 0.923 with an overall sensitivity of 93.9%, specificity of 81.8%, NPV 91.2% and PPV 81.8%. Interestingly, risk scores in HCC cohort indicated higher than those in patients with hepatic fibrosis. Thus, FibraChek™ may be also able to use for HCC detection. Conclusions: Serum levels of a biomarker panel enabled the accurate discrimination of hepatic fibrosis and controls. The FibraChek™ test can achieve the easy, efficient, and accurate detection of hepatic fibrosis and HCC in a non-invasive patient setting. Citation Format: Sunao Tanaka, Guoxiang Xie, Hideki Furuya, Wei Jia, Charles J. Rosser. Evaluation of FibraChek™ for non-invasive detection of hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 3774.

Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Tuberculosis among Smear positive Contact Individuals in Port Sudan

Background: Tuberculosis is a necrotizing granulomatous multisystem infectious disease that caused by mycobacterium, mainly mycobacterium tuberculosis, It is a serious global health problem that represent the commonest infectious cause of death. Many risk factors contribute in spread of tuberculosis, these factors include environmental factors, host factors and factors related to organism. Contact with smear positive patients is a major risk factors as every infectious patient can transmit the organism to ten to fifteen persons; therefore, contact tracing being an important element in DOTS (Direct Observed Therapy Strategy), because early detection and early management of cases prevent complication and improve the outcome. Objectives: This study aims to determine the prevalence and assess risk factors of tuberculosis among TB smear positive contact whose registered in Port Sudan chest hospital TBMU center during third and fourth quarters; June to December 2023. Methodology: This is a descriptive cross sectional community base study, Port Sudan, eastern Sudan, from June 2023 to December 2023. Result: The study shows that prevalence of tuberculosis among smear positive contact individual is 4.6%s. And it shows other associated risk factors has a role in spread of the disease. Conclusion: The prevalence of tuberculosis among smear positive contact individuals in Port Sudan is low comparing to literature and other studies due to strong tuberculosis program and stigma also play a role in this reduction. Tuberculosis spread more among female and elder contact as the spend more time in the home. And immunosuppression, poor ventilation and crowded household play an essential role in spread of tuberculosis.

Effect of Perioperative Allogeneic Blood Transfusion in Causing Surgical Site Infection in Elective Gastrointestinal Surgeries: A Comparative Study among the Pediatric Population in A Tertiary Care Hospital of Bangladesh

Background: Allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) has been reported as a major risk factor for surgical site infection (SSI) in patients undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery. Objective: To find out whether perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion is a significant risk factor for surgical site infection in children undergoing elective gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out at the Department of Pediatric Surgery in Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, from January, 2021, to June, 2022, for a period of 18 months. According to CDC standards, patients who underwent elective gastrointestinal surgical procedure or clean-contaminated surgical wound (class II) were chosen as the study population. Total 256 patients were divided into two groups according to the blood transfusion as transfused and non-transfused group. Preoperative and postoperative day 1 CBC were done to observe the lymphocyte count. Blood transfusions were recorded during the perioperative period. After surgery, patients were followed up to check for surgical site infection and anastomotic leakage. Pus or wound swab for C/S was done in all the patients who developed SSI. The duration of the hospital stay after surgery was also noted. Results: Most of the study subjects in both the groups were ≤5 years(p=0.095). Males were predominant than females in both groups (p=0.014). Infection was found significantly higher among the transfused group (34.6%) than non-transfused group (14.6%) (p=0.001). In both the groups common infection was superficial SSI (12.0% in transfused group and 6.5% in non-transfused group). Among the infections, bacterial growth was 39.1% in Group A and 38.9% in Group B (p>0.786). Postoperative duration of hospital stay was 10.56 ± 4.05 days and 8.47 ± 2.67 days in Group A and Group B respectively (p<0.001). Mean lymphocyte count in Group A and group B was (2353.9±1647.7 vs 3792.5±1455.9; p<0.001). Conclusion: Allogeneic blood ........

Pulmonary edema in a young male with severe uncontrolled cardiovascular risk factors and pan-vascular atherosclerosis: a case report.

Cardiovascular risk factors are the cause of atherosclerotic disease, which can involve all the elastic and muscolo-elastic arteries. The etiopathogenesis of atherosclerosis is multifactorial since genetics, lifestyle, and comorbidities can be simultaneously involved. Clinical manifestations can be heterogeneous and include myocardial infarction, stroke, aortic aneurysms, renal artery stenosis, renal insufficiency, peripheral artery disease, etc. Currently, 70% of clinical events cannot be prevented with available drug therapy, statins included, and at least 10% of coronary events occur in apparently healthy individuals in the absence of major traditional risk factors. The case of a young male with a history of coronary artery disease and multiple atherosclerotic risk factors not properly treated who was admitted to the emergency department for pulmonary edema and high blood pressure is presented. During the diagnostic workup, a dramatic atherosclerotic involvement of all arterial trees emerged. Moreover, the patient presented with thrombosis of the right subclavian artery, which was treated with a heparin infusion and later complicated by cerebral hemorrhage with residual hemiplegia.

Sex-specific structural and functional cardiac remodeling during healthy aging assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Aging as a major non-modifiable cardiac risk factor challenges future cardiovascular medicine and economic demands, which requires further assessments addressing physiological age-associated cardiac changes. Using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR), this study aims to characterize sex-specific ventricular adaptations during healthy aging. The population included healthy volunteers who underwent CMR at 1.5 or 3 Tesla scanners applying cine-imaging with a short-axis coverage of the left (LV) and right (RV) ventricle. The cohort was divided by sex (female and male) and age (subgroups in years): 1 (19-29), 2 (30-39), 3 (40-49), and 4 (≥50). Cardiac adaptations were quantitatively assessed by CMR indices. After the exclusion of missing or poor-quality CMR datasets or diagnosed disease, 140 of 203 volunteers were part of the final analysis. Women generally had smaller ventricular dimensions and LV mass, but higher biventricular systolic function. There was a significant age-associated decrease in ventricular dimensions as well as a significant increase in LV mass-to-volume ratio (LV-MVR, concentricity) in both sexes (LV-MVR in g/ml: age group 1 vs. 4: females 0.50 vs. 0.57, p=0.016, males 0.56 vs. 0.67, p=0.024). LV stroke volume index decreased significantly with age in both sexes, but stronger for men than for women (in ml/m2: agegroup 1 vs. 4: females 51.76 vs. 41.94, p<0.001, males 55.31 vs. 40.78, p<0.001). Ventricular proportions (RV-to-LV-volume ratio) were constant between the age groups in both sexes. In both sexes, healthy aging was associated with an increase in concentricity and a decline in ventricular dimensions. Furthermore, relevant age-related sex differences in systolic LV performance were observed.

Young people's alcohol use in and around water: A scoping review of the literature.

The surrounding social and commercial context, including alcohol advertising, heavily influences alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is a major risk factor for both fatal and non-fatal drowning, particularly for young people. We conducted a scoping review to explore the peer-reviewed literature on the use of alcohol by young people (aged 15-34 years) in the context of aquatic environments. Five electronic academic databases were searched for English-language studies conducted in high-income countries and published in the last 15 years (since 2008). The MetaQAT framework was used to assess methodological quality of included studies. The review included a total of 24 studies, including those addressing the prevalence of and/or risk factors for alcohol use in aquatic environments among young people (n = 13); the epidemiology of alcohol-related unintentional drowning in young people (n = 9); and interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm around water (n = 3). Findings suggest that young people commonly consume alcohol around water, particularly young men. We found multiple influences on this behaviour, including the perception of risk, location of aquatic activity and presence of others, particularly peers. Understanding the literature addressing alcohol use around water among young people will assist in identifying and setting priorities for drowning prevention, including the need to mitigate the effects of alcohol advertising which promotes drinking in and around water. There is a clear imperative to address the use of alcohol by young people in aquatic environments. These findings have key implications for public health policy, advocacy and practice.

Left ventricular hypertrophy and left atrial diameter are associated with mortality risk in haemodialysis patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Cardiovascular death is the main cause of death in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and left atrial diameter (LAD) enlargement are frequent cardiac alterations in patients with ESKD and are major risk factors for cardiovascular events. However, it remains unclear whether there is an association between combined LAD or LVH and all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in this population. A single-centre, retrospective cohort study including 576 haemodialysis (HD) patients was conducted. Patients were evaluated by cardiac ultrasound, and the study cohort was divided into four groups according to LAD and LVH status: low LAD and non-LVH; low LAD and LVH; high LAD and non-LVH; and high LAD and LVH. We used Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression to analyse all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after multivariate adjustment. LAD was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR 2.371, 1.602-3.509; p < 0.001). No significant differences were found between LVH and the risk of all-cause mortality. Patients with high LAD and LVH had significantly greater all-cause and cardiovascular mortality than did those with low LAD and non-LVH after adjustments for numerous potential confounders (HR 3.080, 1.608-5.899; p = 0.001) (HR 4.059, 1.753-9.397; p = 0.001). Among maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients, LAD was more strongly associated with mortality than was LVH. A high LAD and LVH are associated with a greater risk of mortality. Our results emphasize that the occurrence of LAD and LVH in combination provides information that may be helpful in stratifying the risk of MHD patients.

Healthy Aging in Menopause: Prevention of Cognitive Decline, Depression and Dementia through Physical Exercise

The aging of the global population is a significant and complex phenomenon with far-reaching implications for healthcare systems and society. By 2030, it is projected that the number of individuals over the age of 65 will increase by nearly 1 billion, largely due to advancements in healthcare and improvements in quality of life. Aging is a multifaceted process that encompasses a wide array of changes, spanning from the cellular level to the intricate physiological systems of the human body. At the central nervous system level, aging represents a major risk factor for conditions such as depression and cognitive impairment, which are likely linked to neuroinflammatory processes and can potentially lead to more severe dementias, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The higher prevalence of AD in women compared to men has led to speculation that the onset of menopause and associated phenomena, particularly the decline in estrogen levels, may play a role in the development of the disease. Furthermore, research has shown that physical exercise confers both physical and mental health benefits to older adults, with women potentially experiencing the greatest advantages. Understanding the multifaceted nature of aging and its implications for health will ensure that older adults receive the support and care essential for maintaining their health and quality of life.

Prevalence of Self-Reported Hypertension and Antihypertensive Medication Use Among Adults - United States, 2017-2021.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It increases with age and is highest among non-Hispanic Black or African American persons, men, persons aged ≥65 years, those of lower socioeconomic status, and those who live in the southern United States. Hypertension affects approximately one half of U.S. adults, and approximately one quarter of those persons have their blood pressure under control. Reducing population-level hypertension prevalence and improving control is a national priority. In 2017, updated guidelines for high blood pressure in adults recommended lowering the blood pressure threshold for diagnosis of hypertension. Analysis of data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System found that age-standardized, self-reported diagnosed hypertension was approximately 30% during 2017-2021, with persistent differences by age, sex, race and ethnicity, level of education, and state of residence. During this period, the age-standardized prevalence of antihypertensive medication use among persons with hypertension increased by 3.1 percentage points, from 59.8% to 62.9% (p<0.001). Increases in antihypertensive medication use were observed in most sociodemographic groups and in many states. Assessing current trends in hypertension diagnosis and treatment can help guide the development of policies and implementation of interventions to reduce this important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and can aid in addressing health disparities.